- If you can’t see the dose of each ingredient, you’re looking at a proprietary blend — put it back.
- Only three third-party testers actually matter: NSF, USP, Informed Sport.
- “Natural flavors” is a legal catch-all, not a quality marker.
You're standing in the supplement aisle (or scrolling through an online store), and the label looks like it was designed by someone who wants to confuse you. Flashy claims, tiny print, ingredients you can't pronounce. How do you actually know if what you're buying is legit?
We got tired of guessing, so we created a simple system. Here's what to look for—and what to run away from.
The 30-Second Scan
When you pick up a supplement, do this in order:
1. Check the Supplement Facts Label (Not the Marketing Front)
The front of the bottle is designed to sell you. Ignore it. Flip to the back and look for the "Supplement Facts" box—that's the legal, standardized part the FDA actually regulates. Everything else is marketing.
2. Look for the Dosage Form
Is it a capsule, powder, tablet, or liquid? This matters because some forms absorb better than others. Powders are usually cheaper and easier to dose. Capsules are convenient but pricier. Neither is "better"—it's about what works for your life.
3. Check the Actual Ingredient Amounts (in mg or mcg)
This is critical. Some brands will list an ingredient and make it sound impressive, but the dose is so low it's useless. For example, collagen in some products is 500mg—great. In others, it's 50mg—basically a placebo. Look at the numbers, not just the ingredient name.
4. Scan for "Proprietary Blend"
If you see this phrase, keep walking. A proprietary blend means the company hides the exact doses of individual ingredients behind a total blend weight. They do this because the doses are either embarrassingly low or because they want to protect their "secret formula." There's no secret formula. Transparency is your friend.
5. Look for Fillers and Additives
After the active ingredients, you'll see a list of "other ingredients." Watch for:
- Silicon dioxide — drying agent, generally fine in small amounts
- Magnesium stearate — lubricant, fine but controversial among some (we don't worry about it)
- Artificial colors (Red #40, Yellow #5, etc.) — completely unnecessary in supplements
- Stevia, sucralose, aspartame — sweeteners in protein powders and flavored supplements. We avoid these.
- FD&C dyes — if a supplement is bright blue or neon green, it's dye, not nutrition
Fewer ingredients = fewer things that can go wrong. If the filler list is longer than the active ingredient list, that's a red flag.
6. Find the Third-Party Testing Seal
Look for logos from NSF Certified, Informed Choice, or USP (United States Pharmacopeia). These mean an independent lab tested the product and verified it actually contains what the label says. We've done deep dives on what third-party testing actually means—but for now, know that these seals matter.
7. Check the Expiration Date
This one's obvious but people miss it. If it expires in a month, that's a problem. You want at least 6 months before expiration from the date you buy it.
“The most honest label is also the most boring one.”
The Red Flags
If you spot any of these, put it back:
- Claims like "Doctor recommended" or "Clinically proven" — without a specific study linked, this is marketing BS. Real products cite research. Fake ones cite feelings.
- "This will cure/treat/prevent disease" — supplements cannot make disease claims. If they do, they're either breaking the law or they're actually drugs. Either way, run.
- No third-party testing seal — your supplement could be inactive, contaminated, or mislabeled. Why take the risk?
- Proprietary blends — as we said, pass.
- Absurdly cheap — if it costs $3 for 100 capsules of "premium omega-3," something's off. Usually it's filler, low-quality sources, or underdosing.
What We Actually Look For
When we evaluate supplements for Body By A, this is our checklist:
- Research-backed ingredient list (not just trendy, actually studied)
- Effective doses (not proprietary blends, not micro-doses)
- Third-party tested by a credible lab
- Minimal fillers and no artificial sweeteners/colors
- Transparent sourcing (where does the ingredient come from?)
- Reasonable price relative to quality
We don't care if the bottle is pretty. We don't care if a celebrity uses it. We care if it works and if it's safe. That's it.
The Bottom Line
Learning to read a supplement label takes maybe 5 minutes of practice. After that, you can walk into any store or scroll any website and spot the good stuff from the garbage. You're not looking for perfect—you're looking for transparent and effective. The brands that hide behind proprietary blends and marketing hype don't want you to know what you're actually buying. The ones that list everything clearly, dose appropriately, and get third-party tested have nothing to hide.
That's the kind of supplement you want.